For my Unit 5: Animation assignment I was set the challenge of creating an original one minute, handdrawn animation.

Out of the box I drew my two components: Demeanour The Dying Object Candlestick

Research

I started by finding as many influential images using websites such as Google Image and DeviantArt.
The following three slides show my Influence Maps where the best of the reference pictures are placed.

The first holds images of existing candlesticks in both modern and contemporary design to aid with the creation of my character.

The second map contains death/dying related images. Mostly I found statues and black and white photography. Statues and this photography style represent dying so well. They depict life but are frozen at that point without colour.

This final map came later in the process after I had decided on a story. I wanted to show as much life as possible before the predetermined fate of my Candlestick was met so I chose to incorporate dance.

To further my resources I conducted my own research in to candles and how the flame looks from different angles and also how the light disperses against surfaces. To follow are the photographs I took for reference and a video compilation of the films I took of the flame movement.

Candle Research
Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNK42YDo5F4&context=C4128203ADvjVQa 1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW-9v3Dac3diy9EjLl0_BOjA=

Design

I decided that my characters, a male and a female candlestick, would have a traditional design to them. With the limitation of 1 minute it was important the audience could decipher what the object was at first glance. They would also have to be the same design, so they were a matching pair, but subtly different so their gender was clear for the audience also.

Just drawing candlesticks to see who had the most character

First designs for the Male Candlestick, Wax

Testing the shapes using silhouette

First designs for the Female Candlestick, Glow...

...And more Glow. I found it hard to make her look feminine.

I had designed the candlesticks with legs because I felt Id have had more freedom to express the emotions of my story with the addition of leg gesture and movement. Right before I began the first frame of my animation I had a discussion with Tutor Meg that brought me to the realisation that they didnt add to, only hindered my story. The main expression of emotion would come from the arms and body. The complications of a three-legged walk cycle could compromise the aesthetics of my animation if I got it wrong. The following slides show the redesign and the final character turnaround sheets.

Movement

This section contains my exploration in to how to bring life to the candlesticks through expression of movement.

This digital painting was drawn straight over one of my influence images for dance. I wanted to use the dancers bodies to help define how my candlesticks were shaped. The genders are clearly distinguishable so finally I was able to transpose these shapes into my designs.

I sketched out my candlestick performing some of his dance movements and tried to create the illusion of fast movement using expression lines.

Walking Cycles

Moving on to some animation. This section shows the first steps in giving moving life to my character. I began using a person. After that the transition into a candlestick comes easy.

Normal Walk-Cycle
Click

Just an ordinary person taking a stroll across the page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW7f7d31bKg&context=C408962aADvjVQ a1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW4FCMtzj6Fs0Z5aCWnp_vmA=

Moving on to animating my demeanour, I first sketched out the key frames of the dying action before animating it.

Dying Walk-Cycle

Dying Walk-Cycle
Click

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI7UevSvpOc&context=C4690de1ADvjVQa 1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW0z3ZDVap5Idb1sQFHhrSkQ=

In order to make a candlestick walk I first had to define what his leg/foot could do. The first three slides show the original candlestick design, with the three legs. It then goes on to show the same working out for the redesign.

Having only one foot means my candlesticks have restricted movement when it comes to walking. Instead they hop/jump to travel.

On the left is the complete walk-cycle of the candlesticks. Below shows the key frames in this movement

And again, the cycle, but stretched out for clearer viewing.

Candlestick Walkcycle
Click

Then, finally, in animation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viZ9mGcbi8Q&context=C451d28bADvjVQa 1PpcFMyKfTes0WwWwpqUe7Th2jaYlYuyZ2KSsU=

Story

Now weve reached the heart of the animation, the story. My first idea was of a candlestick reciting a Shakespearian death scene but I finally landed on this one. It created the wonderful fantasy that the lighting a candle brings the candle to life; as the candle dies out, as does the candlestick.

As part of our Animation Tutorials with Meg we were asked to create three images the would tell our whole story. This would be a good indicator as to the complexity of our plot.

Again as a tutorial challenge we had to create six establishing shots that could set the scene for our animations.

The final Story-Board and Animatic

Story Board 1

Story Board 2

Story Board 3

Story Board 4

Click

Animatic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9eeeNuVOI&context=C48a8594ADvjVQa 1PpcFMyKfTes0WwW91MNSzTzGO0u891pg-LJ0Y=

Script